Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)

Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables, mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fresh cheese tortellini

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese & Herbs

07 - 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Step-by-step:

01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
02 - Combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella balls, and fresh basil in the bowl with the cooled pasta.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top and toss lightly once more. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from an Italian deli
  • The dressing soaks into the pasta as it sits, making leftovers even better the next day
  • You can swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand and it still works beautifully
02 -
  • Overcooking the tortellini even by a minute makes the salad gummy as it sits
  • The salad needs at least fifteen minutes of resting time for the flavors to come together
  • Adding the dressing too early makes the vegetables weep and dilute everything
03 -
  • Double the dressing recipe and keep extra in the fridge for quick weekday salads
  • Let the salad sit at room temperature for twenty minutes before serving—the flavors bloom

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